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Home » Explainers » International action on climate change » What is the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?


WHAT IS THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC)?

24 October, 2022
The UNFCCC was signed at the 1992 'Earth Summit' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Photo: UN Photo/Michos Tzovaras

Signed in 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) is the foundational treaty that has provided a basis for international
climate negotiations since it was established, including landmark agreements
such as the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015). The
Convention has been ratified by 197 states who have committed to act on climate
change and regularly report on their progress.


WHAT DOES THE UNFCCC SAY?

The ultimate goal of the Convention is the “stabilisation of greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate system” within a timeframe that
allows people and planet to adapt and economies to develop sustainably. In
joining the Convention, Parties acknowledge the existence of the threat of
climate change and agree to undertake efforts to combat it.

The Convention itself has not established concrete targets. Rather, it was
intended to provide a framework for future agreements and policies. The
Convention calls for ongoing research, negotiations, agreements and obligations
through a few important mechanisms:


1. COMMON BUT DIFFERENTIATED RESPONSIBILITY

The Convention recognises the principle of common but differentiated
responsibility (CBDR) and respective capability. This principle acknowledges
that different states have different capabilities and responsibilities to
address climate change and this can be used as a framework to navigate the
balance between the need for all states to act on climate change, with their
varying levels of responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions – both past and
present – and capacity to address that problem in a way that is “equitable and
appropriate”.

The Paris Agreement refers to “common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances”, and
reflects both the shifting landscape of countries’ emissions – for example, the
dramatic rise in China’s emissions since 1992 – and changing capacity to
address climate change as economies, technologies and policies develop.


2. ESTABLISHING MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES

The Convention lays out a basic structure through which the Parties can work
together to achieve its goals.

 * The Conference of the Parties is the supreme body to regularly review,
   devise, agree and implement climate policy.
 * A secretariat coordinates the sessions of the Conference of the Parties,
   prepares reports and compiles information, providing particular assistance to
   developing countries.
 * Subsidiary bodies provide scientific and technological advice and assess how
   well the Convention is being implemented.

Subsequent agreements under the UNFCCC, such as the Kyoto Protocol and Paris
Agreement, have established additional institutions, such as the Green Climate
Fund, specialised climate change funds and technical committees. These
institutions provide the technical, advisory and financial advice to develop
policies and guidance and support the implementation of the Convention, the
Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.


3. DATA-GATHERING, KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Knowledge-building plays a huge role in the UNFCCC process. Parties are required
to gather and share data to build evidence, set goals and track progress on
greenhouse gas reduction. Developed countries must also submit detailed
mitigation strategies and their expected outcomes. This process has been crucial
in building a robust body of knowledge and scientific understanding of climate
change and the impact of various mitigation strategies, which has helped inform
subsequent policies and significant international agreements such as the Paris
Agreement.

Public understanding and participation are also essential to achieving national
and international transformation, and the Convention requires countries to
promote climate education, awareness and training to the public.


WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE UNFCCC?

From its inception in 1992, the UNFCCC has led to the adoption of a number of
subsequent agreements. It has spurred the development of key infrastructure and
policies at the international and national levels that serve as cornerstones of
today’s climate action, including measuring and tracking and reporting emissions
and impacts; generating knowledge and research; and building the capacity to
address the causes and effects of climate change. The most recent major
development in the UN climate change agenda has been the adoption of the Paris
Agreement, produced at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21)
in 2015. And in 2021 nations adopted the Glasgow Climate Pact, which aims to
“turn the 2020s into a decade of climate action and support”.  

The UNFCCC was signed at the 1992 'Earth Summit' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Photo: UN Photo/Michos Tzovaras


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What is the Global Stocktake? What are the UN ‘COP’ climate change conferences?
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RESEARCH AREAS

Climate change governance, legislation and litigation International climate
politics Transition to zero emissions growth


KEYWORDS

COP Glasgow Climate Pact Green Climate Fund Kyoto protocol Paris Agreement
UNFCCC


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